Snap-Ed

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federally-funded program that provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. In Maine, SNAP-Ed provides nutrition education services in settings like schools, food pantries, Head Starts, and other child care settings, grocery stores, and regional DHHS offices.

Cooking demo Maine School Garden Day with Snap-Ed Program Coordinator, Sam Grenier!

How does this program help school garden coordinators and educators in Maine? Maine SNAP-Ed is made up of over 35 Nutrition Educators and Program Coordinators located statewide who aim to reach every community within the state of Maine to provide nutrition education.

Are you Interested in learning more about a class in your area? Maine SNAP-Ed offers classes to children, adults, families, and older adults. Classes are led by a trained Nutrition Educator. Each session is fun and engaging with food tastings and FREE materials to take home. Get connected to your local Nutrition Educator and request a SNAP-Ed educator come to your school by completing this form.

Topics include:

Food Smarts Kids Learner-centered nutrition education and cooking curriculum for grades 4-6, which covers core topics including: eating a variety of foods, consuming water more often, and increasing physical activity.
Pick a Better Snack Series of monthly lessons, which focus on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption for grades K-3. Each lesson includes hands-on learning, a tasting of a fruit or vegetable, and physical activity.

In Maine, SNAP-Ed is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Office for Family Independence (OFI) at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Programming is implemented through a contract with the University of New England (UNE) in partnership with local community organizations.